Saw this article from the Virginia Pilot on Virginia Governor Northam's announcement of the Phase 1 restrictions which is set to start next Friday. There were some interesting quotes from individuals who served on the Business Task Force.

You may need a subscription to read because the Pilot only has a set number of free articles, but I'm including some of the quotes below.

"Northam said he had heard from business owners including those on his appointed COVID-19 business task force that drafted recommendations leading to Friday’s announcement, who told him, “please, please, please take this slowly.”

Two local members of that task force, though, seemed stunned by the governor’s approach.
Bill Meyer, owner of Meyer Fitness in Norfolk said he felt, “blindsided," and that the concept of outdoor-only workouts at gyms was never discussed by the task force during the group’s three conference calls since being appointed.

“I’m completely disappointed for my fellow gym owners and their families," he said Friday when reached by The Pilot, shortly after Northam’s press conference.

Another task force member, Bruce Thompson, the hotelier with Virginia Beach-based Gold Key | PHR, said he was also, “disappointed and surprised.” Gold Key owns The Cavalier in Virginia Beach, The Main in downtown Norfolk and the just-finished Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront, and Thompson had been hosting training sessions for employees to prepare for the reopening of his hotels and restaurants. He said Friday he’s “not quite sure what to do at this point as we anticipated a little more relaxed guidance similar to what our competitive markets and states are allowing.”

He said there was no discussion among the task force for a recommendation to restrict restaurants, for example, to outdoor dining only.

“This is what I was afraid of,” he said, saying businesses might lose more money open than closed under these guidelines."

[Post edited by RUHokie at 05/08/2020 7:16PM]